How to set up Dual Monitors

Are you looking to create a new PC setup, but need two monitors to maximise your on-screen space… well we’ve got just the guide for you. Whether you’re looking to create a multi-monitor setup for work, editing or gaming a dual monitor PC can be a great option for creating a cost effective accessible PC suite.

Back in the day, setting up dual monitors used to be an expensive and tricky task, but thanks to cheap graphics cards and affordable monitors, pretty much any modern computer can support dual monitors with minimal fuss.

This tutorial will help you to set up two monitors on your computer, talk you through the different types of input and select the right graphics card.

What you’ll need

But before you start… let’s check out the basics of what you’ll need to create your dual monitor rig.

Monitors– Obviously you’re going to need two monitors for a dual monitor setup. Your screens don’t need to be the same make, model or style but it’s usually a good idea to get monitors that support the same resolution. If you end up with one monitor running at 1920×1080 and another at 1366×768, programs with be automatically resized between screens creating a jarring effect.

As a note, if you’re looking to buy a new monitor, it’s usually a good idea to get a monitor with multiple varied inputs. Modern monitors tend to have three connections: HDMI, DisplayPort and DVI. This gives you the option to connect to a wider variety of graphics cards.

GPU/Graphics Cars– Pretty much all modern computers can support a dual monitor set -up, but if your PC doesn’t have the available ports, or you want to run a slightly different setup (Maybe two HDMI) you’ll need to get a graphics card for your PC. Make sure the ports match your monitor, DVI in particular has a number of formats that need to match your monitor.

Well that was a VERY simplistic introduction to dual monitors. No mention of the limits of the graphics card (pixel count) which may prevent use of some monitors (dual 4k anyone – impossible with current graphics card?). No mention of frame rates (4k at 60Hz anyone?). Merits of DisplayPort vs DVI? Three monitors anyone? There are many traps on the way to a decent dual monitor system which are largely ignored in this tutorial.

Please, a more thorough/complete tutorial would be useful. But in my opinion, this tutorial is almost misleading! Sorry if this seems negative feedback, but I have the t-shirt, and nearly wasted a lot of cash.

some games require 3 monitors and In some games it’s a little confusing to have the centre of the image where there is a dividing line. I find two monitors useful for when gaming, you can have conversstions open at the same time. Also it’s great for working